Unit based building block ball run system

ABSTRACT

A system of toy building block ball run components each having an integrally formed, recessed surface disposed in a portion thereof which defines a flat-bottomed or U-shaped passageway or ball run channel between sides of the block. Each component is made using a specific set of relationships in the dimensions of the building block and the ball run channels formed therein to allow broad combination of many components with one another and with other building blocks during creative play.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to the field of children's toy building blocks (CPC A63H 33/04) and toy ball tracks (CPC A63F 7/3622).

Background Art

Non-interlocking toy building blocks, marble tracks/ball runs, and toy vehicle tracks each have a long history and are readily available in many forms as stand-alone toys for children. There also presently exist non-interlocking building blocks specifically designed to function as a system of components to build ball runs. Some examples of these ball run building blocks include Guidecraft unit block ball run (www.guidecraft.com), Kaden marble runs (www.holzgestaltung.de), and Cuboro marble run system (www.cuboro.ch).

The most common limitation of current designs of ball run building blocks is that the channel for the ball to roll along has a circular or semi-circle cross-section. This round-bottomed channel design allows a ball to roll successfully along the path formed by aligning the channels of adjacent blocks and serves as a useful ball run system, but limits the utility and play value of the components for other creative building and play purposes.

A ball channel with a flat-bottom or U-shaped cross section, as opposed to a rounded cross-section, allows for more uses and extended play value of the blocks, such as standing other blocks in the channel to build a structure, standing toy figures and dolls in the channel like a pathway or bridge, or rolling toy vehicles along the channel like a roadway, in addition to use with marbles and balls as a ball run.

There presently exist some flat-bottom and U-shaped channel ball run blocks. Examples include Lakeshore Learning ramps and balls exploration set (www.lakeshorelearning.com), and the blocks described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,749 published 1985 Nov. 19 with inventors Bender; Robert L. and Bender; Annie L. The limitation of these designs is that the ball channels are not ideally dimensioned using a system of standard units that optimize the versatility and play value of the blocks.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is an improvement to the prior design and manufacture of ball run building blocks intended for creative play by children ages 3 and older. The invention comprises a system of building block ball run components designed and manufactured with a flat-bottom or U-shaped cross-section ball channel and following a specific set of design ratios based on a given unit of length.

Specifically, the cross-section of a basic component of the system has the following dimensional relationships: The depth of the ball channel will be one unit. The width of the ball channel will be two units and will be centered relative to the width of the building block. The height of the building block will be two units. The width of the building block will be four units. The length of the block will be any integer multiple of units. When stacked properly, two such basic components will together create a tube whose opening has an approximately square cross section with sides two units in length.

This design allows the use of the building blocks in a similar manner to other ball run building blocks. Further, it extends the versatility and play value of the building block components by enabling additional configurations of blocks when building a ball run, and better enabling other creative uses of the blocks beyond a ball run, such as integration with standard building blocks, as toy vehicle tracks, and as doll bridges, walkways, and furniture.

Additional building components of the system may vary from the basic component's dimensional relationships to accommodate interesting shapes and obstacles such as ramps, tunnels, bridges, funnels, curves, and intersections, but will have one or more ball channel openings on one or more faces of the block that align to those of the basic component.

The building blocks may be solid or hollow, and are usually made of a rigid material such as wood or plastic, but could be other materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an example individual building block ball run basic component with a straight ball channel, according to the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of an example individual building block ball run basic component with a curved ball channel, according to the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross section of an individual building block ball run component as shown in FIG. 1 , according to the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a cross section of two building block ball run basic components, as shown in FIG. 1 , stacked to form a tube whose opening has an approximately square cross-section, according to the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is an improvement to the prior design and manufacture of ball run building blocks intended for creative play by children ages 3 and older. The invention comprises a system of toy building block ball run components each having an integrally formed, recessed surface disposed in a portion thereof which defines a flat-bottomed or U-shaped passageway or ball run channel between sides of the block. Each component is made using a specific set of relationships among the dimensions of the building block and the ball run channels formed therein to allow broad combination of many components with one another and with other building blocks and toys during creative play.

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict perspective views of two example individual building block ball run basic components along with labels for their respective dimensions, according to the principles of the present invention. Each component is made from a building block 1 of rectangular prism shape. Each component has an integrally formed, recessed surface disposed in a portion thereof which defines a flat-bottomed or U-shaped passageway or ball run channel 2 between sides of the block. The building blocks may be solid or hollow, and are usually made of a rigid material such as wood or plastic, but could be made of other suitable materials.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the block shown in FIG. 1 . and shows the specific set of relationships among the dimensions of the building block and the ball run channels formed therein. For any given unit of length, the depth of the ball channel Dc will be one unit. The width of the ball channel W_(C) will be two units and will be centered relative to the width of the overall building block W_(B). The height of the building block H_(B) will be two units. The width of the building block W_(B) will be four units. The length of the block L_(B), shown in FIG. 1 , will be any integer multiple of units.

FIG. 4 , depicts a cross section of two building block ball run basic components, shown in FIG. 1 , stacked to form a tube. As shown in FIG. 4 , when stacked properly, two such basic components will together create a tube whose opening has an approximately square cross section with sides equal to two times the depth of the ball channel Dc.

It can be appreciated from FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 that although one example component has a straight ball channel and the other example component has a curved ball channel, both components share dimensions for depth of ball channel Dc, width of ball channel W_(C), height of block H_(B), width of block W_(B), and length of block L_(B). Coupled with the flat-bottom or U-shaped nature of the ball channel 2, this design not only allows the use of the building blocks in a similar manner to other ball run building blocks, but also extends the versatility and play value of the building block components by enabling additional configurations of blocks when building a ball run, and better enabling other creative uses of the blocks beyond a ball run, such as integration with other building blocks, as toy vehicle tracks, and as doll bridges, walkways, and furniture.

Additional building block ball run components of the system may vary from the basic component's dimensional relationships to accommodate interesting shapes and obstacles such as ramps, tunnels, bridges, funnels, curves, and intersections, but will have one or more ball channel openings on one or more faces of the block that align to those of the basic component. 

1. A unit based building block ball run system component comprising a building block including an integrally formed ball channel with a flat-bottom or U-shaped cross section and the following dimensional relationships using a given unit of length: the depth of the ball channel is one unit, the width of the ball channel is two units and is centered relative to the width of the building block, the height of the building block is two units, the width of the building block is four units, the length of the building block is any integer multiple of units, and which when stacked properly, two such components together create a tube whose opening has an approximately square cross-section with sides two units in length. 